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chapter ninety-two. ☄︎. *. ⋆
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ONCE AGAIN, WE WERE SCREWED. The Hephaestus cabin was out of Greek fire. My cabin and the Hunters were scrounging for arrows. Most of us had already ingested so much ambrosia and nectar we didn't dare take any more.
We had sixteen campers, fifteen Hunters, and half a dozen satyrs left in fighting shape. The rest had taken refuge on Olympus. The Party Ponies tried to form ranks, but they staggered and giggled and they all smelled like root beer. The Texans were head-butting the Coloradoans. The Missouri branch was arguing with Illinois. The chances were pretty good the whole army would end up fighting each other rather than the enemy.
Chiron trotted up with Rachel on his back. I felt a twinge of annoyance because Chiron rarely gave anyone a ride, and never a mortal.
"Your friend here has some useful insights, Percy," he said.
Rachel blushed. "Just some things I saw in my head."
"A drakon," Chiron said. "A Lydian drakon, to be exact. The oldest and most dangerous kind."
Percy stared at her. "How did you know that?"
"I'm not sure," Rachel admitted. "But this drakon has a particular fate. It will be killed by a child of Ares."
I scowled. "Is that a joke?"
"I just saw it."
"All of the Ares kids are back at camp," I said to Chiron and Percy, ignoring Rachel. "Kronos knew we wouldn't be able to defeat the drakon."
"The spy," Percy said suddenly, like he'd had a big revelation. "The spy's been keeping him updated. He knows the Ares cabin isn't with us. It's why he's sending the drakon now. He intentionally picked a monster we can't kill."
Thalia scowled. "If I ever catch your spy, he's going to be very sorry. Maybe we could send another messenger to camp—"
"I've already done it," Chiron said. "Blackjack is on his way. But if Silena wasn't able to convince Clarisse, I doubt Blackjack will be able—"
A roar shook the ground. It sounded very close.
"Rachel," Percy said, "you gotta get inside."
"I want to stay."
A shadow blotted out the sun. Across the street, the drakon slithered down the side of a skyscraper. It roared, and a thousand windows shattered. "On second thought," Rachel said in a small voice, "I'll be inside."
I fought the urge to trip her as she walked past me.
I'VE ALWAYS HATED DRAGONS, and even though drakons aren't quite the same, I hate them even more.
